Group trains African journalists, filmmakers on documentary production

The Media Project has trained African journalists and filmmakers on documentary filmmaking to promote authentic storytelling about the continent.

Supreme news reports that the five-day training, organised under the African Film Project (AFP), was held in Accra, Ghana, with participants from Nigeria and Ghana.

The Founder of AFP, Mrs Jody Hassett Sanchez, said the initiative aimed to help African storytellers take ownership of the continent’s narratives through film.

Sanchez noted that about 80 per cent of films about Africa were made by Europeans and Americans, adding that the project sought to change that trend.

“One thing I try to do in these programmes is to encourage participants to blend their local storytelling traditions with a global style that makes their films more appealing to international audiences,” she said.

She noted that documentaries allow for deeper exploration of issues, combining emotion and visuals to tell powerful stories beyond traditional news formats.

Also speaking, Mr Emeka Izeze, a Board Member of the Media Project and former Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian Newspaper, said the training would enable journalists to merge their reporting skills with cinematic techniques.

He said journalists’ experience in research, interviewing, and fact-checking would strengthen their ability to produce credible and compelling documentaries.

Participants during the training watched selected documentaries, attended a masterclass with Ghanaian filmmaker Nana Kofi Asihene, and took part in a pitch contest.

They also received practical lessons on documentary structure, interview methods, filming styles, script writing, editing, and how to pitch their projects to industry gatekeepers.

The programme is part of The Media Project’s ongoing efforts to equip African media professionals with tools to tell authentic African stories to global audiences.